


Home

by tousled_bird



Category: The Arcana (Visual Novel)
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Fluff without Plot, Gen, Hugs and Cuddles, Sleepy Cuddles, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Warm and Fuzzy Feelings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-28
Updated: 2017-12-28
Packaged: 2019-02-22 19:22:53
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 479
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13173561
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tousled_bird/pseuds/tousled_bird
Summary: It’s still dark when he returns, the sun only spreads her very first glow over the horizon.





	Home

**Author's Note:**

> Thalia is my apprentice. Since I can't draw I have to write ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯
> 
> I listened to [Care by Robert Koch feat Julian Marchal](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v-3Xtm8pCHM) while writing this.

It’s still dark when he returns, the sun only spreads her very first glow over the horizon. He unlocks the door with the key; it creaks a little when he opens it. The shop is silent and dark. A wind chime next to the door tinkles quietly when he passes it. He can’t help but smile: Thalia must have made another one while he was away.

He closes the door behind him and puts his bag on the counter. The air smells like herbs and flowers and beeswax. Familar.

Faust moves beneath the fabric of his shirt and sticks her head out of his collar.

 _Home,_ she says.

“Yeah.” he murmurs. “It feels like we’ve been gone for an eternity.”

Faust slides down his arm and into his bag until only her head is still visible. She blinks at him. _Thalia?_

“Sleeping, probably.”

 _Yes. Sleep._ She draws deeper into the bag. _You sleep._

He chuckles. “Alright. Good night Faust.”

No answer. With a yawn he makes his way to the bedroom expecting to find his apprentice there, but the bed is empty. A cold wave of dread washes over him. _What happened? Where is she? He shouldn’t have left her for so long!_

He takes a deep breath. And another. She isn’t gone. The shop is warm and filled with her presence.

The shop is small, and it doesn’t take him long to find her in the back room, slumped over the table and fast asleep. The Arcana cards are strewn around her, and her head is resting on her notebook. The small lamp has long run out of oil to burn and left the room in darkness.

He reaches out and brushes a strand of hair out of her face. His touch makes her jolt and sit up.

"‘m awake. What’d I miss.” The right side of her face is covered with traces of dried ink. He feels his heart warming.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to wake you,” he apologizes.

She blinks once, twice. “Asra?” Her face dissolves into a sleepy smile and she stands up to hug him. “You’re back.”

He leans into her warm embrace, using the opportunity to swoop her up into his arms.

“What’chu doing?”

“You can’t keep sleeping at the table,” he says, making his way to the bedroom carrying her bridal style.

“I can walk.”

“I know,” he says but makes no attempt of letting her down. After a moment she sighs and leans her head against his shoulder, snuggling closer to him.

She is half asleep again when he lays her down on the bed. Her grips loosens but she doesn’t let go of him entirely. He doesn’t mind, though. He lies down next to her, with her nestled in his arms.

He buries his face in her hair, taking in her scent.

Yeah. This is home.

She is home.

**Author's Note:**

> So uuuh... instead of working on my WIPs I joined another fandom and wrote this little ficlet. I have no excuses or regrets. Lol. 
> 
> I hope you liked it.
> 
> (I made an Arcana fan-blog, you can find me at [asrasarkana](https://asrasarkana.tumblr.com) on tumblr. Come and say hi, I'd love to talk about The Arcana and your fan apprentices!)


End file.
